Tidying things up: Tropicosa, a new Neotropical wolf spider genus (Araneae: Lycosidae: Lycosinae)

The new genus Tropicosa is proposed based on species of some controversial Neotropical genera of lycosids. These spiders present a longitudinal dark stripe over the sternum in both sexes, median apophysis sinuous, tegular lobe evidently sclerotized and the epigyne with median septum anteriorly expanded and with a parallel, triangular hood. We transfer Alopecosa moesta (Holmberg), Schizocosa chelifasciata (Mello-Leitao) and Lycosa thorelli (Keyserling) to Tropicosa gen. nov. and describe one new species, Tropicosa baguala sp. nov. Likewise, Arctosa bogotensis (Keyserling) is synonymized with Tropicosa thorelli (Keyserling) comb. nov., and Lycosa langei Mello-Leitao with T. chelifasciata (Mello-Leitao) comb. nov. based on examined types. All the four species proposed as members of Tropicosa gen. nov. have South American distribution.

Automated summary

The new genus Tropicosa is proposed for some controversial Neotropical lycosid spiders, which have a dark stripe on the sternum, sinuous median apophysis, sclerotized tegular lobe, and an expanded median septum on the epigyne with a parallel, triangular hood. The species Alopecosa moesta, Schizocosa chelifasciata, and Lycosa thorelli are transferred to Tropicosa gen. nov., and a new species, Tropicosa baguala sp. nov., is described. Additionally, Arctosa bogotensis is synonymized with Tropicosa thorelli, and Lycosa langei is synonymized with T. chelifasciata based on type specimens. All four species proposed as members of Tropicosa gen. nov. are found in South America.